At a very young age, Helio Gracie learned traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu techniques
from his older brother, Carlos. In the late 1920s, he began to modify these techniques
to accommodate his frail physique with the objective of developing a system that
would enable him to defend himself against larger opponents. After years of refinement,
he proved his art's effectiveness by routinely defeating larger and stronger
opponents, some of whom outweighed him by as much as 100 pounds. As a result, Helio's
techniques quickly became the new expression of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil and set the
stage for a worldwide revolution in martial arts.

Although Gracie or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the most effective martial art on the planet,
it is a relatively young martial art. Realizing that the key to global dissemination
of pure Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was the development of a formalized curriculum, the Gracie
Academy dedicated several years to organizing all the techniques in the most logical
sequence based on their complexity and usefulness in combat. Furthermore, we conduct
all group classes with the utmost concern for safety, and we demand that all students
treat each other respectfully regardless of skill level, gender, race, nationality,
or creed. At the Gracie Academy we don't teach people how to fight. We give people
confidence so they don't need to fight.

Gracie Combatives is the official beginner program of the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy. In this program, students learn the 36 most important techniques in a fun, safe, and cooperative training environment.

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is a way of life. The principles of discipline, patience, efficiency, and control are the keys to success on and off the mat. Whether your a dedicated practitioner of the art or just a fan of the Gracie way, the casual wear, training gear, and accessories in the Gracie Store will remind you to keep it real at all times. With all Gracie Store purchases, your satisfaction is guaranteed. If you're not 100% happy with your purchase, simply send it back and we'll replace it or refund your money (as long as you promise not to choke us out!). Select a category below to begin browsing, and then feel free to order online or give us a call at 1-877-472-2430 (Monday - Friday, 10am to 6pm PST) and we will gladly assist you over the phone. If you have a question about the status of your order feel free to shoot us an e-mail at
store@gracieacademy.com.

Gracie News

Women Empowered Now Available on GU

July 15, 2011

In addition to all the new features, we have finally added the complete Women Empowered program to the Gracie University online curriculum. You can purchase any of the lessons individually, or you can purchase the entire program at once and receive a 50% discount. There are several benefits of owning the curriculum online.

Key advantages of the online curriculum:-You can access your lessons online from anywhere-You can learn while traveling without lugging the DVDs around-You get access to exclusive lesson-specific forums for every lesson you own-You get access to detailed lesson printouts (Rener's reference notes) that don't come with the DVDs-No waiting, instant access after lessons are purchases

Total Empowerment: A Survival Handbook for WomenAlong with your purchase of the online Women Empowered course, you will get instant access to a downloadable version of the 50-page "Total Empowerment" handbook written by Ryron and Rener Gracie, with additional input from law enforcement professionals and survivors of sexual assault, that includes several several life-saving safety tips not covered in the video lessons.

Watch Free Samples NowWomen Empowered is the official Gracie self-defense program for women and was specifically formatted for you to complete in the comfort of your own home with a friend or family member. If you're on the fence about whether or not the Women Empowered program is right for you or your loved ones, it will certainly help for you to see some clips before we decided. This is why, we've made the complete Women Empowered Intro Class and all four Total Empowerment Talks available for free viewing to all GU students. All you have to do is log into your GU account (if you don't have one, click here to create one for free), and the free samples will be instantly viewable in your online lesson library. If you like what you see, you can visit the 'Curriculum' section and begin learning right away!

Click here to log in to Gracie University and view your free Women Empowered lessons.